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Learn how to have conversations that get results

A Different Kind Of Conversation

I recently took a week-long vacation riding my motorcycle through British Columbia and camping each night in a new location. It was the first time I’d ever done a multiple-day motorcycle ride and multiple days tent camping. We went 1500 miles in 7 days. It was fantastic!

As I was riding along on about the 4th day, I realized that the fierce conversational concepts applied to the relationship I have with my motorcycle and the road. It is critical to “be here, be prepared to be nowhere else” and you have to go where the conversation (road) wants and needs to go.

I realized that when I was fiercely present very little that the road or bike did surprised me. I could react in a reasonable manner. When I wasn’t paying enough attention, when my attention wandered, the corner would be tighter than I thought, the line the bike took around a corner would be too wide or narrow, or an obstacle would have to be avoided at the very last second. It was so much easier to navigate when I was looking where I wanted to go and all my attention was on the bike, the road, and the surroundings. It was amazing.

That started me thinking…some conversations are the same way. You’re going along and, if you’re not paying attention, something will be said that requires some quick maneuvering to keep you going where you want to go. If you spend a lot of time focusing on where you don’t want to go…that’s where the conversation drifts to.